Pirateshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/7494/all
enAssassin's Creed Pirates Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/assassins_creed_pirates_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>Over its last two iterations, the Assassin's Creed series – primarily known for letting players climb on historically significant landmarks and get stabby in different time periods – has increasingly become known for something unexpected: 18th century sailing and naval combat. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, with its focus on Caribbean piracy, embraced wooden ships to the point of making them central to gameplay and plot — and now we have spinoff Assassin's Creed Pirates, which is set entirely aboard them.</p><p>You won't find any climbing or free-running in Pirates, but it does boast a series of beautifully rendered, fully 3D Caribbean seascapes to explore, with treasures to hunt for and battles to fight as you sail freely between mission markers. Telling the story of Alonzo Batilla, a brash young captain who rubs shoulders with lesser-known historical pirates like Sam Bellamy and La Buse, it takes players through a small handful of plot-driven missions (some of which can be quite long) supplemented by a whole slew of side activities.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2013/12/img_1434.png" width="620" height="465" /></p><p>The latter include a ton of rally races, battles for map-revealing Viewpoints, fetch quests, and assassinations (which involve stealth-sailing through a top-down map filled with enemy ships to reach a target vessel). Each of the six maps requires that you complete most of its side missions before you can sail on to the next area (and the next chunk of story), which would be a drag if said activities weren't usually quick, fun to pursue, and clearly designed with care. Even so, the game's story, while interesting, is disappointingly thin — and it's unfinished, as the game's final stages haven't been added as of this writing. It certainly wouldn't have hurt if we'd gotten a little more plot through the side missions, and given that the game's cutscenes are little more than character portraits and written dialogue, we can't imagine it would've been that hard to add a few more.</p><p>Possibly the most impressive thing about Pirates is your ship itself, of which you get a pilot's-eye view (complete with crewmembers strolling around on the deck). Steering it is as simple as swiping a finger across the bottom of the screen to turn the wheel, or swiping across the top to turn your field of view, and this works surprisingly well (provided you don't swipe too close to the middle and confuse the game as to your intent). You'll also get to deploy or reel in sails to regulate your speed, which is especially important when the weather turns stormy or you sail through mine-riddled waters. And if you get bored sailing across long distances in real time, you can switch to an overhead map view and simply draw a course for your ship to follow.&nbsp;</p><p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/A9BR7xb1Efg" width="620" height="349" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>If you've played Assassin's Creed IV, steering your ship will feel instantly familiar, although the same can't be said of the battles. When you encounter an enemy ship in Pirates, you'll cut away to a view where your ship is always parallel with theirs. Combat is semi-turn-based; your cannons take time to reload (as do your enemy's), and when they do, you can aim them at your enemy as they drift casually back and forth. When it's their turn to fire, you're presented with a couple of buttons that can scoot you out of the way as soon as your enemy's line of fire appears. The trick is to dodge when a moving white line touches your ship; do so consistently, and you'll never get hit. Once you've mastered that, combat loses most of its challenge — but weirdly, picking fights is addictive in spite of it all, partly because of the destructive variety injected by the mortars, swivel guns and other new weapons you'll accrue as you make your way through the story.</p><p><strong>The bottom line. </strong>With fun exploration and beautiful visuals, Assassin's Creed Pirates skirts close to greatness, but settles for being an enjoyable diversion.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/assassins-creed-pirates/id692717444?mt=8" target="_blank">Assassin's Creed Pirates 1.0.2</a></p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Ubisoft </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.ubi.com" target="_blank">www.ubi.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$4.99 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 7.0 or later</p> </div>
</div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Sailing around exploring and attacking ships in 3D environments is fun, especially while your crewmen are singing sea shanties. Well-designed side activities. Combat is enjoyable despite its lack of challenge. Characters and story are just compelling enough to keep us interested.</p> </div>
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</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Ship-to-ship fights are too easy to survive unscathed. Listening to the same battle music repeatedly gets a little tiresome. Story is disappointingly thin.</p> </div>
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</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/games/assassins_creed_pirates_review#commentsGalleryReviewsapp store reviewsAppLifeAppsassassin's creedAssassin's Creed PiratesGamesios gamesiPod and iPhonePiratessailingSoftwareUbisoftUbisoft ParisiPadiPhoneiPodGamesSat, 07 Dec 2013 03:14:43 +0000Mikel Reparaz18807 at http://www.maclife.comAssassin’s Creed Pirates Hands-On Previewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/assassin%E2%80%99s_creed_pirates_handson_preview
<!--paging_filter--><p>In spite of its title, you won’t find hooded killers or acrobatic climbing in Assassin’s Creed Pirates (at least not at first). In fact, its main character, Alonzo Batilla, seems to never even leave his ship. Instead, this upcoming spinoff focuses entirely on piracy and simple naval battles, letting players explore a quasi-open version of the Caribbean in a story set around the same time as the latest entry in the series, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.</p><p>Looking like a visually downgraded version of Black Flag’s shipboard segments, Pirates lets players freely steer a 3D ship through a series of sizable, open maps filled with often-hostile ships to plunder and other assorted tasks. The experience adapts to touchscreen controls surprisingly well; swiping a finger across the bottom of the screen turns your ship’s wheel, while swiping across the top turns the camera. If you’d rather not steer through miles of water and cliffs, you can switch to a top-down view of the entire area, and simply drag a path for your ship to follow — less visually impressive, but much more useful for getting around in a hurry.<br /><br /><img src="/files/u330237/2012/11/acp_screenshot_previews1.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p>The story, at least in the first two chapters we played, is skeletal, made up of occasional static cutscenes — but the action’s fairly meaty. Each area contains a handful of missions to pursue, including rally races (complete with treacherous weather to push you off course), item fetch quests, and assassinations (essentially just ship battles preceded by a top-down stealth puzzle in which you need to drag your ship to the target, past patrolling defenders). <br /><br />This being a game about pirates, combat erupts pretty frequently, although the ship-to-ship battles are surprisingly simple — and weirdly addictive. Rather than simply unfolding in the 3D exploration mode, fights have offensive and defensive stages depending on who’s reloaded their cannons first. When you’re firing, you’ll have to tap and drag to train your cannons (or swivel guns, or grape shot) on your enemies as they drift rapidly from side to side. And when it’s their turn to shoot, you’ll have to tap dodge buttons to skirt out of their line of fire right when they let fly. This part is like a rhythm game with no musical cues; when your enemy aims, a white line passes down their line of fire, and if you dodge at the moment it touches your ship, you’ll avoid the cannonballs that follow every time. <br /><br />Again, we’ve only played the first two chapters, but even those took a couple of hours to play through, with plenty of varied missions and unlockable upgrades (in the form of new, perk-granting crewmembers and ships) to play around with. In spite of the stripped-down approach and lack of Assassins, it’s fun and strangely intriguing, and we’re looking forward to seeing what else it has to offer. The game’s due out on Dec. 5 for $4.99, and you’ll need at least an iPad 2, iPhone 4s, or iPod touch 5 running iOS 7 to play it.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/games/assassin%E2%80%99s_creed_pirates_handson_preview#commentsGalleryNewsassassin's creedAssassin's Creed PiratesiOSiOS gameios gamesPiratesPreviewUbisoftiPadiPhoneiPodGamesMon, 25 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000Mikel Reparaz18706 at http://www.maclife.comPirate Legends TD Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/pirate_legends_td_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>Assuming that the old adage about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery still holds up in the App Store era, the makers of <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/kingdom_rush_review" target="_blank">Kingdom Rush</a> should feel downright exalted by Pirate Legends TD. Copycats are nothing new in the iOS space, but while subtler "tributes" might try to disguise their inspirations, Pirate Legends TD makes no such effort. From the tower selection to the upgrade paths, placement approach, and UI design – plus the between-mission upgrades, map screen design, and use of heroes – this tower defense affair barely diverges from the uniquely fantastic concoction of elements brewed for <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/kingdom_rush_review" target="_blank">Kingdom Rush</a> and <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/kingdom_rush_frontiers_review" target="_blank">Kingdom Rush Frontiers</a>.<br /><br />While it feels a little icky to see a game so brazenly swipe the backbone of another, at least Super Hippo picked the genre's best iOS entry to mimic – and Pirate Legends TD does a very admirable impression indeed. Swapping in ships and winding river pathways for the knights, goblins, and dusty roads of its inspiration, Pirate Legends TD challenges you to protect your vessel by placing upgradable offensive towers on the limited plots that line the banks of each river stage. Coins earned from killing invaders are used to purchase and enhance each tower, with branching upgrade paths offering you some helpful flexibility in how you use the four main tower types in each locale.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u325188/2013/08/main.png" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>If there's one area in which Pirate Legends TD sets itself apart, it's the stunning visual design, with each stage featuring a lush hand-painted look. Elsewhere, the game entertains and challenges to familiar degree, but feels a little overloaded with offensive options. In addition to upgradable towers, you can aim your ship's cannon, set the target of your bullet-spewing fighter pilot hero (which era is this, again?), use multiple special attacks, and employ numerous bonus items. Coupled with regular prodding to employ in-app purchases for boosts, special attacks, and better heroes, the strategic core feels a bit muddled by the extensive array of options. In general, though, this is largely a very solid and enjoyable genre entry, albeit one that sadly lacks more than the faintest hint of originality.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line</strong>. Pirate Legends TD can't quite match the quality of the game it aims to duplicate, but it comes close enough to consider.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pirate-legends-td/id626884809?mt=8" target="_blank">Pirate Legends TD 1.0.1</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Super Hippo Studios </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.piratelegendstd.com" target="_blank">http://www.piratelegendstd.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$3.99 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch running iOS 5.1 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Excellent visual design. Great tower defense approach (made popular by Kingdom Rush).</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>It's an unsubtle clone of the excellent Kingdom Rush. So many elements in play that the strategic core feels a little muddled. Cramped interface can cause occasional control annoyances.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/pirate_legends_td_review#commentsGalleryReviewsapp store reviewsAppLifeGamesgamesiPadiPhone and iPod AppsKingdom RushPirate Legends TDPiratesreviewsSoftwaresoftwareStrategytower defenseiPadiPhoneiPodTue, 20 Aug 2013 16:45:21 +0000Andrew Hayward17822 at http://www.maclife.comLaw & Apple: China Fines Apple for Chinese Pirateshttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/law_apple_china_fines_apple_chinese_pirates
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.maclife.com/tags/law_apple"><img src="/files/u315479/law-and-apple_200x150.jpg" alt="Law &amp; Apple" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" /></a>When China decides to seriously protect intellectual property, one imagines the government will have quite a massive wall of work in front of them. As the nation that holds the global reputation for turning technological piracy into an art, China could stand to bring forward some high-profile cases and show the world that it is serious about protecting copyrights and patents. Instead, China has chosen the path of irony, and righteously sues foreign companies, like Apple, for absurd copyright infringement.</p><p>Long besieged by complaints about the rampant sale of pirated media throughout the country, China has responded in recent years by targeting the distributors of stolen content. Rogue search engines like GouGou (I know, right?) <a href="http://my.news.yahoo.com/chinas-most-notorious-pirate-search-031057678.html" target="_blank">have been shut down</a>, while mainstream search engine Baidu has <a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Search-Engines/Chinas-Baidu-Search-Engine-Cracks-Down-on-Pirated-Books-541648/" target="_blank">pledged to rid its remove pirated content from its platforms</a>.</p><p>But we are also talking about the country that loves to work over Cupertino, with everything from <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/busted_despite_crossbows_and_ziplines_smugglers_caught_moving_apple_products" target="_blank">smuggling Apple products out of country with zip lines</a> &nbsp;to actual fake Apple Stores, <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/now_chinese_are_copying_apple_retail_stores_too" target="_blank">complete with the same signage and staff uniforms as the real ones</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u315479/fake-apple-stores.png" alt="Fake Apple Stores" width="620" height="300" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Of course this is really an Apple store. Why, just look at my authentic blue shirt!"</strong></p><p>Regardless, a Chinese court recently ruled against Apple for, of all things, indirectly allowing the sale of pirated books on iOS devices. <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-loses-another-copyright-lawsuit-093548995.html" target="_blank">Reuters reports</a> that Apple has been fined 1 million yuan ($160,400) for allowing third-party applications on its App Store that allegedly sold stolen ebooks. This appears to be a case where the Chinese government wanted a high-profile case involving Apple to show they were serious about stopping piracy, but at the same time did not want to levy any serious fines that might damage their relationship with such a major business partner.</p><p>So, nothing was really done to stop piracy, like going after the app developers who actually created the nefarious apps and profited from them, and nothing was really done to anger Apple. Most ironic of all, nothing was really done to make whole the authors who brought the case in the first place.</p><p>"We are disappointed at the judgment," said Bei Zhicheng, spokesman for a group of authors who were hoping for an award of closer to 10 million yuan. "The judgment is a signal of encouraging piracy."&nbsp;</p><p>So, really, nobody wins. Except, as usual, the Chinese pirates who apparently sail away unscathed with their ill-gotten gains.</p><p><em>Follow this author, Adrian Hoppel, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aphoppel" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/law_apple_china_fines_apple_chinese_pirates#commentsNewsBooksChinaColumnscopyrightintellectual propertyPatentPiratesWed, 02 Jan 2013 18:22:47 +0000Adrian Hoppel15903 at http://www.maclife.comCrimson: Steam Pirates Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/crimson_steam_pirates_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>This mobile games thing is for real -- if anyone anywhere needs one more shred of proof, it’s Bungie Aerospace, a new mobile development arm of Bungie, makers of seminal games like Marathon, Halo, and Myth. Crimson: Steam Pirates is their first title, combining steampunk aesthetics, pirates, and pitch-perfect combat on the iPad. <br /><br />You play as fledgling commander Captain Thomas Blood as he begins his piracy career around the Caribbean, making and breaking alliances, commandeering English zeppelins, and demanding fancy dresses from conquered forts.<br /><br />Crimson: Steam Pirates is one of the most beautifully designed iPad games to date, with terrific graphics, great sound effects, and soaring music. It pulls you in and never lets go, even if you're completely new to turn-based strategy games.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/12/reviews/2.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Move the ships in your fleet to the best possible positions to flank your targets.</strong></p><p>While deep, the game is simple to learn, gradually adding new techniques, maneuvers, and abilities your ship(s) can use for each mission. Two pass-n-play multiplayer modes, VIP Defense and Shipwreck, but whether you’re battling friends or the AI, the overall mechanic works -- you're in the middle of a naval battle and have to act and respond accordingly. Even if you want to charge in and take down a small opposing armada, you'll do better to keep a safe distance, boost your firing speed or range, and know when to run and heal your ship or its crew. <br /><br />Two multiplayer "Pass and Play" modes (VIP Defense and Shipwreck) keep things interesting with friends around, the game's stability never wavered under iOS 4.3.5, but the game's true strength is that its overall mechanic works; you're in the middle of a naval battle and have to act/respond accordingly. Even if there's part of you that wants to charge in and take down a small opposing armada, you'll still have to keep a safe distance, boost your firing speed or firing range when appropriate, know when to run and heal your ship or its crew whenever they need it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/12/reviews/3.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>It never hurts to have a zeppelin on your side.</strong></p><p>Crimson: Steam Pirates follows the “freemium” model; the first chapter of eight levels is free, including the two multiplayer modes. A second chapter with eight more levels is $1.99, with more chapters on the way.&nbsp; <br /><br /><strong>The bottom line.</strong> This is a no-brainer: The game is clever, well crafted, incredibly fun, and worth trying out, especially for “no booty down.”</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fcrimson-steam-pirates%252Fid438053238%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">Crimson: Steam Pirates 1.0.0</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Bungie Aerospace Corporation </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.bungie.net/projects/aerospace/Crimson/content.aspx?link=crimson_about" target="_blank">http://www.bungie.net/projects/aerospace/Crimson/content.aspx?link=crimson_about</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
&lt;a href=&quot;http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fcrimson-steam-pirates%252Fid438053238%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Free&lt;/a&gt; </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad running iOS 4.2 or later.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Terrific graphics and sound. Good storyline. Incredibly fun gameplay. Inventive theme. Fun multiplayer modes.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Well-executed but short-lived, with only eight levels to complete before the game pushes you to buy the next content pack.</p> </div>
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</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/crimson_steam_pirates_review#commentsReviewsapp store reviewsAppLifeAppsBungieBungie AerospaceGamesPiratesSoftwareturn-based strategyiPadGamesTue, 27 Sep 2011 22:16:29 +0000Chris Barylick12497 at http://www.maclife.comBeleaguered Game The Blocks Cometh Joins Forces With League of Evil for Upcoming Releasehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/beleaguered_game_blocks_cometh_joins_forces_league_evil_upcoming_release
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u310631/2011/02/blocks.jpg" alt="Blocks, League" width="525" height="295" /></p><p>Last month an indie platformer called The Blocks Cometh was submitted to Apple for approval and was released on the App Store shortly thereafter. It was even given the spotlight in the App Store's new and notable section.&nbsp;</p><p>But here's the kicker: the game's developer had no idea it had ever been submitted. <a href="http://www.gamezone.com/news/item/flash_hit_the_blocks_cometh_pirated_on_app_store/">Pirates had stolen the source code</a> and submitted the game themselves. Since then, Apple has <a href="http://www.gamezone.com/news/item/the_blocks_cometh_copycat_removed_from_app_store/">taken down the pirated copy</a> of the game, and now the official copy is <a href="http://toucharcade.com/2011/02/16/league-of-evil-joins-forces-with-upcoming-the-blocks-cometh/">set to be released tomorrow</a> with a little love from the fantastic platformer League of Evil.</p><p>The Blocks Cometh is a really interesting take on the platformer genre. To understand what it's like to play, imagine you've been shrunk down and placed inside an ongoing game of Tetris. You must run and jump for as long as possible in a desperate attempt to stay on top of the blocks before they crush you. The game releases tomorrow and we're really looking forward to giving it a spin.</p><p>To help promote the release of both new games the developers of The Blocks Cometh and League of Evil have joined forces in a cross promotion. League of Evil will feature 30 new levels based on the theme of The Blocks Cometh. The Blocks Cometh will also feature several new playable characters directly from League of Evil [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/league-of-evil/id405552598?mt=8">iTunes Link</a>].</p><p>The Blocks Cometh has just been released on the New Zealand App Store, which usually means it will be coming to North America in very short order.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/beleaguered_game_blocks_cometh_joins_forces_league_evil_upcoming_release#commentsNewsapp store gamesgamesiphoneiPod touchLeague of EvilnewsPiratesThe Blocks ComethiPhoneiPodGamesWed, 16 Feb 2011 18:13:55 +0000Andrew Groen9950 at http://www.maclife.com